Colombian President holds meeting with Emir of Qatar
By: Yanela SolerÂ
Doha, Qatar – Colombian President Gustavo Petro met on Thursday with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as part of his official visit to the Gulf nation.
The leaders held talks shortly after President Petro’s arrival in Doha on February 13. The meeting focused on bilateral cooperation agreements on education, air connectivity and access to clean water.
President Petro requested Qatar’s mediation to secure the release of Elkana Bohbot, a Colombian-Israeli citizen held by Hamas since October 7, 2023.
âI have established friendly ties with the Emir of Qatar and requested his mediation for the release of Bohbot,â President Petro said on social media platform X following their talks.
ðķðĶ A su llegada a Catar, el presidente @petrogustavo se reuniÃģ con el emir, Tamim Bin Hamad Althani para adelantar la agenda bilateral entre ambos paÃses.
— RTVC Noticias (@RTVCnoticias) February 13, 2025
ðïļUno de los temas mÃĄs importantes fue la solicitud del presidente Petro al emir catarà para que pueda interceder en laâĶ pic.twitter.com/G31e15v1qU
The Colombian leader emphasized his administration’s strategy to strengthen ties with the Arab world through newly appointed ambassadors of Arab-Colombian heritage to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and Lebanon. “We seek to enhance commercial, tourist, cultural and political relations to unite our peoples and broaden our global perspective,” he said.
On the other hand, both government representatives addressed the issue of Qatar Airways, which will begin operations to cover the Doha-Bogota route next June. According to Petro, this way âtourism and business opportunities between both countries will be strengthenedâ.
âI have already managed to attract two airlines in the area to Colombia: Qatar Airways and Emirates. I seek to diversify the ownership of Colombia’s foreign debt as much as possible,â said the Colombian president. President Petro said the talks had been productive in advancing Colombia’s strategic interests in the Middle East, while addressing urgent humanitarian concerns.
